The semantic changes of the word "bitch" (PDF)

Seminar paper from the year 2020 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 2,0, University of Freiburg, language: English, abstract: This paper answers, how the word "bitch" evolved through time, when and how it became a slur, and how the slur reclamation is working.

The theoretical background will go over the different definitions of "bitch", explain what a slur reclamation is, and give a brief overview of the literature on the controversial use of the word. Then it will go into the methodology for acquiring data and move on to the data results and their analysis, discussing the following hypothesis about the semantic changes of "bitch":
1. The upcoming use of "bitch" as a derogatory led to an increased usage of the word.
2. Nowadays, "bitch" is not used as a slur anymore, since women reclaimed it.

"Fucking bitch". That is what the Republican Ted Yoho called the Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the steps of the House of Representatives, which led to an epic speech on sexism and violence against women in language. But Meredith Brook's lyrics "I'm a bitch, I'm a lover - I'm a child, I'm a mother - I'm a sinner, I'm a saint - I do not feel ashamed" still echoes. How can one word, "bitch", be used as a sexist insult and as feminist empowerment at the same time?